Rip Hunter's Chalk Board

Rip Hunter, Time Traveler, uses a chalk board to write down his thoughts and questions about the DCUniverse's ever-changing history, due to the fluid nature of the timestream. It first appeared during the events of 52.

Rip Hunter's Chalk Board

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History

Rip Hunter, Time Traveler, uses a chalk board to write down his thoughts and questions about the DCUniverse's ever-changing history, due to the fluid nature of the timestream. It first appeared during the events of 52.

Following are chalkboard notations categorized by the issues in which they appeared. Links to referenced individuals, items or events occur within the reference itself and citations link to the respective issues where the references actually occur or offer commentary when issues cannot be identified.

In addition, the number 52 is written in circles all over the board... there are some scraps of paper with the numbers 51, 53, 54, 55, and 56 written on them... there are what appear to be television screens showing historical events, some of which occurred before the advent of photography... all the clocks in the laboratory appear to be set at 11:52.

↑Ralph Dibny is known for "smelling a mystery" due to a nose twitch exaggerated by his stretching powers. This notation is likely a "teaser" to readers that Ralph's story within the then-ongoing 52 contains a mystery. Ralph never appears to suspect one but as he is under constant watch by the mystery villain he is simply acting the part. He reveals that he has known all along in 52 #42.

↑Though he appeared earlier, Supernova's identity is first revealed in 52 #37

↑Batman was one of the major heroes that were absent during the year chronicled by 52. His first chronological appearance was in 52 #30.

↑Though she appeared earlier, Batwoman's identity is first revealed in 52 #11.

↑This notation does not appear to correspond with a direct event. Te is the symbol for elemental Tellurium and has an atomic number of 52. It is possible the notation merely indicates that Gold and Lead, and by extension the Metal Men, are affected by the events of 52. Their origin, as retconned in the second Metal Men series, is reverted to their original one during the 52 series (or, more accurately, following Infinite Crisis).

↑The most likely interpretation of this notation ties it to the Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds event. Because the story occurs 1,000 years after the time of publishing (i.e. 2008), the year the story occurs could be 3008. There is a second possible interpretation: the story involves three versions of the superhero team, the Legion of Superheroes, (often the word "Legion" is incorrectly identified with the number 1,000 although it correctly refers to 10,000). Thus three Legions could represent 3,000. The "8" may refer to eight outside players: 1) Superman, 2) Superboy-Prime, 3) Conner Kent, 4) Kid Flash (Bart Allen), 5) Rond Vidar, 6) Sodam Yat, and two former Legionnaires 7) Bouncing Boy and 8) Duplicate Damsel.